Reno Approves First Responder Drone Program with $1.9M Investment

The Reno City Council has taken a significant step forward in enhancing public safety by unanimously approving a first responder drone program. This initiative, which will cost $1.9 million over six years, aims to improve the response times of law enforcement for high-priority calls and provide first responders with a more detailed view of active crime scenes.

The Reno Police Department (RPD) is collaborating with Motorola Solutions on the BRINC MSI Take Off drone program. This program is set to launch in April 2026 and represents a major investment in modernizing emergency response capabilities. According to Blake Resnick, founder of BRINC Drones, his company has partnered with approximately 700 public safety agencies across the country. He mentioned that the typical response time for these drones is within 70 seconds of an emergency call.

In the pilot year, the program will be free of charge. However, after this initial phase, the annual subscription cost is expected to be nearly $400,000. There will also be options to customize and potentially expand the program based on the city's needs.

Police Chief Kathryn Nance explained that the drones will be deployed on "priority one" calls that occur outside of private homes. Examples include shootings, individuals with guns, car crashes, ongoing robberies, missing person cases, and other urgent emergencies. The drones will be clearly marked as police-operated vehicles and will provide real-time video footage, which can be recorded and later released with redacted content, similar to officer body camera footage. Each drone has a battery life of roughly 42 minutes and can be deployed within a 2-mile radius.

Nance outlined the locations for four drone stations around the city: one on the roof of the Public Safety Center at 911 Kuenzli St., another at the Moana Fire Station, a third at Fire Station 12 on Steamboat Parkway, and the final drone in the North Valleys, with the exact location still to be determined.

Resnick noted that the drones have the option of being fully automated to respond to emergency calls, but they can also be manually piloted by a live operator. Currently, RPD has 19 officers trained in drone operations who will be responsible for piloting the new drones.

Nance emphasized that privacy laws are in place to prevent officers from entering people’s homes without a warrant. However, if operators observe other criminal activity while the drone is on scene, they can direct officers to respond. She stated, “We can absolutely pursue something else if we see other criminal activity,” adding that if they lawfully witness something happening, they will follow up on those crimes.

It is important to note that the drones will not be used for general surveillance to prevent crimes. Nance clarified that the only surveillance it could be used for is during an active car pursuit.

During the pilot year, RPD will evaluate how best to deploy the drones, determine if additional units are needed, assess the time saved, and identify which types of calls are most suitable for drone response. Nance mentioned that RPD can opt out of the program up to 30 days before the pilot year ends, and she plans to return to the council to ensure continued support. There will be no penalty fees if the city decides to opt out before the pilot year concludes.

“We have to see success to say that we want to continue this,” Nance told the council. “(But) I’m very confident that it’s going to be all of the things we hope it’s going to be.”

In addition to the police department, the Reno Fire Department, Washoe County Emergency Management, and other city departments will collaborate using this new drone equipment during the pilot year. The drones will also be capable of delivering emergency supplies such as Narcan, automated external defibrillators, and EpiPens to individuals in need.

Jaedyn Young covers local government for the Reno Gazette-Journal. Her wages are 100% funded by donations and grants; if you’d like to see more stories like this one, please consider donating at RGJ.com/donate. Send your story ideas and feedback to Jaedyn at jyoung@rgj.com.